If you are the type of person who is fascinated by buildings, then you may be the ideal candidate for a career in architecture. An architect may design buildings, bridges, or entire developments. Architects aid in urban planning. But before you can become an architect, you need the proper education. If you want to study architecture in Maryland, there are three main schools that provide programs in architecture in the state.

In order to become an architect, you must first obtain a bachelor’s degree. Because this is a four year commitment, it is wise to be sure that this is the degree you seek. One option is to take the two year associate’s degree program at Anne Arundel Community College. Classes offered include CAD design, LEED principles, and computer assisted design. It is intended that students in the program transfer to a four-year institution after achieving their associate’s degree. One of the benefits of completing a two year program first is that it enables you to decide if this is really what you want to do before continuing with other architecture schools in Maryland. Also, even if you are certain that this is the career for you, a four year college degree can be quite expensive, and a two year program helps you to contain the costs.

For the bachelor’s degree you have two choices in Maryland. You can go to either Howard University or the University of Maryland. The University of Maryland offers both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. They focus on green technology and offer students the opportunity to work on special projects. Howard University also offers graduate and undergraduate degrees and focuses on architectural history, computer aided design, and sustainable practices. Howard University is also known as a first rate university.

What can you do once you have obtained your degree from one of the architecture schools in Maryland? There is the traditional designing of new buildings. Perhaps you can create beautiful new skyscrapers or shopping malls. But architecture is so much more than that. On a smaller scale, architects work on existing buildings to expand or improve them. Perhaps a homeowner wishes to build an addition onto their house. Or maybe an older building is in disrepair and needs an architect to oversee repairs. An historical society may want to convert a building into a museum. An architect can design the overhaul which might include adding public facilities and restoring the interior and exterior to its original specifications. Architects are also used by cities to plan spaces, including parks and recreation as well as buildings.

Whether or not you want to work in commercial or residential architecture, there are many options for both your training and your career. If you have a talent for design and an eye for structure, architecture may be for you. From redesigning existing structures to making them more energy efficient to designing whole new buildings for the business of doing business, architects design the world around us.